Thoracentesis Catheter Device with Nesting Needle and Selector Valve
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical devices for thoracentesis procedures require frequent repositioning of catheters and lack feedback on catheter position during application, leading to increased complexity, handling difficulties, and higher costs.
Innovation Solution
A medical device with a hollow supporting element and a manually actuated selector that allows for repositioning of the catheter without removing it, providing constant feedback through a visible slider mechanism and eliminating the need for frequent selector valve switching during aspiration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the catheter is inserted with a sharp-tipped needle and the round-tipped element is used to avoid lung puncture, then the safety of the procedure is improved, but the complexity of the device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The round-tipped element is nested inside the sharp-tipped needle, with the round tip protruding from the sharp tip. This nested configuration allows the protective round tip to be visible and accessible while maintaining the sharp needle's penetrating capability, resolving the contradiction between safety and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The round-tipped element acts as an intermediary between the sharp needle and the lung tissue. It protrudes from the sharp tip to contact the lung first, preventing direct puncture by the sharp needle while still allowing fluid drainage through the catheter system.
2Ease of operation
If the catheter is inserted through the thoracic wall with the sharp-tipped needle, then the catheter can be positioned inside the pleural space, but the risk of piercing the lung increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sharp-tipped needle is designed to pierce the thoracic wall effectively for catheter positioning, while the round-tipped element protruding from the sharp tip serves as a protective feature that converts the potential harm of lung piercing into a beneficial safety mechanism that prevents lung damage while maintaining positioning capability.
3Productivity
If the selector valve is switched at every suction and discharge stroke, then the fluid flow can be controlled, but the operation becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The selector valve is designed to remain in a fixed position throughout the entire suction and discharge cycle, allowing continuous fluid drainage without repeated valve switching. This maintains productive fluid removal while eliminating the operational complexity of frequent valve adjustments.
4Reliability
If the catheter is removed and replaced with another one to draw remaining liquid, then the complete evacuation can be achieved, but the procedure time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter system incorporates a movable or adjustable component that allows dynamic repositioning of the catheter tip within the pleural space. This enables the same catheter to be reoriented for complete fluid evacuation without removal and replacement, achieving reliable complete drainage while minimizing procedure time.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables thoracentesis procedures with reduced risk of tissue damage, allows for repositioning of the catheter without disconnecting syringes or bags, and simplifies the aspiration process by eliminating the need for frequent selector valve adjustments, while maintaining compactness and ease of use.
Implementation Method 1
inside the sharp-tipped needle, accommodated in the cannula made of plastics, there is a round-tipped element, which is spring-loaded and protrudes beyond the sharp tip of the needle and retracts into the needle while the thoracic wall is pierced
Implementation Method 2
a round-tipped element (15) inserted slidingly in the sharp-tipped needle (13) so as to have its round tip (16) normally protrude from the sharp-tipped needle (13)... associated with the round-tipped element (15) following the impact of the round tip (16) against a body that has such a consistency as to make it retract... elastic means (17)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
A medical device (1a, 1b) for applying catheters, particularly for thoracentesis procedures, comprising a hollow supporting element (2a, 2b) which can be gripped ergonomically and accommodates a selector (3 a, 3b) which is operated manually and is adapted to connect at least three openings (4a, 5a, 6a, 4b, 5b, 6b) defined in the supporting element (2a, 2b), the first opening (4a, 4b) being functionally associated with a cannula (7) adapted to be inserted in the body of a patient for the drainage of biological liquid (100) or for the injection of drugs, the second opening (5a, 5b) and the third opening (6a, 6b) being able to be functionally associated respectively with two closure elements (8, 9) or with at least one of a syringe (10) and a collection bag (11), a sharp-tipped needle (13) being slidingly insertable in the cannula (7) and having such a length as to pass through at least all of the cannula (7) and protrude from it to pierce the biological tissue (101) that lies in the vicinity of the biological liquid (100), the device further comprising a fourth opening (14a, 14b) defined in the supporting element (2a, 2b) on the side opposite the first opening (4a, 4b) for extraction or insertion of the sharp-tipped needle (13) respectively from and into the cannula (7).